


History

by A_to_B_and_C



Series: EXOVERSE [3]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Eventual Happy Ending, M/M, Small smut scene, Space AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-10
Updated: 2020-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:21:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23098501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_to_B_and_C/pseuds/A_to_B_and_C
Summary: Chanyeol really hated Earth.He would give whatever not to be forced to live there.Or so he thought up to a stranger came spending his forced paid leaves exactly on Earth.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol
Series: EXOVERSE [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1658077
Kudos: 13





	History

**Author's Note:**

> Another part of EXOverse, but as per usual it can be read separately.  
> As the previous ones, was written few years ago so only double checked for typos and errors (hopefully all of them).  
> I'm still struggling with editing on AO3 and HTML, so I'm sorry if it looks weird!  
> Hope you will enjoy it!

Chanyeol never loved Earth.

It was this stupid planet were no one wanted to live anymore, looking for better planets and better colonies in the skies above.

But he was forced on Earth and tried his best to come to terms with it.

He was one of the last remaining glass masters of all the galaxy and his arts was transmitted from Master to disciple during the centuries.

He liked his work because he was able to express himself freely, creating frail but pristine brilliant masterpieces, unique in all the worlds.

He lived in a small city near New Seoul, made expressly for being inhabited by person who hadn't any choice if not remaining on the Earth.

So it felt pretty uncommon and strange when a stranger arrived in town, already well known for having travelled from one end of the Universe to the other, maybe also being part of the Intergalactic League, a military association who protected peace in the Universe.

Chanyeol wasn't curious about the new comer, but everyone in the city was talking about him, being afraid of him, mostly.

And it was in a warm spring morning that Chanyeol firstly met the stranger.

He was a shorty, but his face was pretty and his hands slender and fine.

His eyes were attentive and his pink lips, full.

His hair was red and messy.

When he entered into Chanyeol's factory, Chanyeol himself couldn't believe his eyes and had the sensation that _maybe_ he already met this man before, for how strange it could be.

He didn’t give military vibes at all, so short and slender.

His factory wasn't exactly the most visited place in the area because it was always messy, and he hated being disturbed while he was working.

So, he had a small atelier with a friend of him as attendant for the customer or any other emergency.

The question was, why was the man there instead of being in the Atelier with his friend?

"Mr. Park?" he asked toward him, voice composed and low, pleasantly stirring something in Chanyeol's stomach.

The voice was completely different from his own figure.

Chanyeol simply nodded and the stranger opened in a bright smile.

"That's a relief, I thought I mistook place! My memories are a bit vague" he said sighing and placing his hand on his heart, bowing shortly.

Chanyeol stared at him perplexed.

What was he saying?

Only then Chanyeol checked what the other man was wearing.

It seemed a military uniform, but it was mainly in leather and the trousers were baggy while the navy-blue jacket opened on the front revealing a sand coloured shirt beneath it.

"You don't remember me, right?" the man asked again and Chanyeol shook his head.

Why should he know anything about this stranger who came from heavens know where?

The man in front of him smiled again, this time softly, fixing briefly his hair before bowing shortly again and introduce himself.

"I'm Byun Baekhyun. I lived here for the first eight years of my life before going away" he said and Chanyeol raised an eyebrow.

He would surely remind him if he really lived there in some moment of his life.

Also, because he seemed to have almost the same age of Chanyeol and there weren't so many children when he was young.

Why he hadn't any memories of the stranger?

"I'm Park Chanyeol. Nice to meet you" he said putting down the vase he had in his hands and bowing shortly towards the man.

Baekhyun stayed silent, looking around in the factory and Chanyeol felt a bit awkward about someone looking so interested in his work place.

Baekhyun's eyes were shimmering in the morning light attracted to the different items displayed in the factory.

"Did you need something...?" Chanyeol asked tentatively, waiting for Baekhyun to say something, but the man shook his head.

"Just trying to focus on some memories better..." he started before shaking his head again.

He seemed to be perplexed about something and Chanyeol stayed in silence looking at the man.

He was beautiful.

He looked ephemeral, almost fragile, but he had something that made him feel like he was stronger and tougher than he could think.

Baekhyun sighed briefly before putting a forced smile on his face.

"Sorry for taking your time, Mr. Park. I'll see you around" he started softly, making his way to the exit when Chanyeol stopped him.

"Chanyeol is fine. And I'll show you around if you want, this afternoon" he proposed, smiling and touching the back of his neck a little bit embarrassed.

He didn't even know why he invited the man out since he wasn't so keen on knowing new people or spend his time with people that wasn't his friends.

Sehun, one of his best friend and the one who tended the atelier for him, would describe him as a sociopath without any hesitation.

Baekhyun looked at him a bit perplexed, but then smiled again, nodding.

"Sure, _Chanyeol_ , it'd be great. Thanks" he added and Chanyeol nodded again.

"Is it four okay for you?" he asked opening in a bright smile and Baekhyun nodded again.

"See you this afternoon" Baekhyun concluded exiting from the building, smiling again.

Chanyeol felt something in his heart, blushing reaching his cheeks.

Who in the world was Baekhyun? And why he was so cute and Chanyeol didn't have any memories of him?

He would clearly remind someone as Baekhyun.

Chanyeol sighed lightly before focusing again on his work.

Work must be done if he wanted to take a break and show Baekhyun around.

At three he went home, which was actually upstairs from the factory, and prepared himself.

Not that he put up so much, but at least he showered and put some clean clothes on.

At five to four, Chanyeol exited already finding Baekhyun waiting for him, fidgeting with his hi-tech wristwatch.

"Did you wait long?" he asked him and Baekhyun smiled softly before shaking his head, detaching from the fence he was leaning on.

The clothes were the same, but his smile seemed forced for a moment.

"I had nothing better to do" he added briefly and Chanyeol smiled back.

"Here on Earth there's nothing much to do, you know" he explained but Baekhyun was already shaking his head again.

"Actually, it seems so much fun. And so green. I love how this city continues to have trees and flowers" he commented and Chanyeol frowned a bit.

"Well, everywhere there's green..." he started but Baekhyun laughed softly, making a sound so pure and cute that Chanyeol almost felt the blush creeping up his cheeks.

"Where I was before, I didn't see a flower for years, all those grey buildings and never-ending roads" he commented immediately after, gaze moving from Chanyeol's face to the flowers in his garden.

Baekhyun kneeled down, brushing his fingers on a leaf and smiling softly.

Chanyeol thought he was so beautiful he wanted to take a picture just to eternalize that moment.

He was so caught by the vision that he didn't notice that Baekhyun's stare was on him, perplexed.

"Shall we go?" he asked, diverting his gaze and starting to walk away.

They walked slowly in silence, Baekhyun caught in looking everywhere, fascinated by things that Chanyeol considered not only normal but sometimes boring too.

Like cats playing on the sides of the streets, flowers blooming in wall cracks, clouds with peculiar shapes and so on.

Baekhyun was so intrigued by anything that Chanyeol asked himself where the man lived for all those years.

How could a person be fascinated by all those things that were so _common_?

Chanyeol didn't have a real reply and was a bit afraid of asking directly to Baekhyun.

It was like Baekhyun himself was trying his best to avoid anything concerning his return on Earth.

And Chanyeol had is confirmation while they were sitting on the parlour of an ice cream shop, because Baekhyun didn't know that ice cream was so soft especially the variety called _gelato_ , when a man stopped by to talk directly to Baekhyun.

"Why did you come back? Haven't your parents done enough twenty years ago?" he asked and Chanyeol saw Baekhyun putting on a fierce look, cutting away all the cuteness he showed to Chanyeol minutes ago savouring the ice cream.

"We know each other? I suppose not, and I'd appreciate you wouldn't talk like this of Admiral Byun and his wife. They made a miracle in these years with the League. If not because they were my parents" he said, voice cold and posture completely different too.

The man laughed and made the gesture to insult them but Baekhyun didn't flinched even in the slightest.

"They died serving people, also Earthlings. I won't let you speak like this about them" he said, and the icy tone was now more similar to a menace.

Chanyeol stayed there watching, unable to say anything about it.

He didn’t remotely pictured Baekhyun as capable of speaking those words making sure they sounded exactly like a menace.

The man, unamused, walked away and Baekhyun sighed briefly.

"I'm deeply sorry for the inconvenience" he started but Chanyeol shook his head.

"Not your fault. And you were polite enough. If it would be me, I'd surely punch the man in the guts" he said making Baekhyun smiling softly.

"I'm not here to stay, unfortunately and I cannot afford to make a mess. Commodore Kim would kill me" he added snorting at the idea.

Chanyeol was perplexed and a bit hurt to know that sooner than later Baekhyun was going away.

Even though they knew just for few hours.

"You are on your leave or something like that?" he asked tentatively, trying to not force anything on Baekhyun who smiled again, this time bitterly.

"Forced leave, yes. Commodore Kim thought that it was better to send me somewhere far after what happened" he explained pressing his lips together in a thin line and staring away, distant in the sky.

He was clearly irritated by this.

"At least he let me choose where I wanted to go" he added, gaze shifting again on Chanyeol and opening in a shy smile.

"And of all the places in the galaxy, you choose Earth? Poor decision making" Chanyeol commented, not having the courage to ask what happened to oblige his Commander to give him _forced leave_.

Baekhyun's eyes grew a bit larger but then he shook his head.

"The only place I'd return" he whispered, shifting again his stare and watching the patch of flowers on the other side of the street and smiling fondly.

Chanyeol had to blink twice to make sure that he wasn't dreaming by how perfect he was.

Baekhyun smiled softly again before sitting up.

"I think I took more than enough your time today. Thanks again for showing me around" he started and Chanyeol sat up too, even though he didn't want their small _date_ to end.

"No worries, I had nothing planned this afternoon" he said back passing his hand on the back of his neck.

Baekhyun smiled again.

"Hope to see you again, then" he ended up starting to walk away and Chanyeol nodded slightly.

They parted their ways, greeting shortly.

Chanyeol returned home, his only thought fixed on Baekhyun.

He was so enthralled with the stranger and couldn’t manage to understand why or how he completely forgot about the man.

Chanyeol returned to the Atelier, meeting Sehun who was exiting and closing after himself.

“ _Hyung_ , everything is fine?” he asked, worried to see Chanyeol outside.

He didn’t take his time to inform Sehun that he went out with Baekhyun.

Oh Sehun was one of the few friends that Chanyeol had.

They knew from forever and Chanyeol was really grateful to the young man who was always by his side, helping also with his work, while he could have done something totally different.

Sehun was tall, almost as tall as Chanyeol, but his hair was blonde in contrast with Chanyeol’s black one.

He was wearing again something from the twentieth century, a black hoddie and grey jeans.

Chanyeol nodded shortly toward him, stopping and considering asking him something about Baekhyun.

Sehun lived near him all of his life, so if they had a former neighbour, he should remember him too.

“Sehun, apart of us and Jongin, there were other kids when we were young?” he asked and Sehun arched up an eyebrow, frowning imperceptibly.

“Other kids?” he replied, pondering the question.

There was a moment of silence and then Sehun nodded.

“Actually, there was that kid that lived at the end of the street, but I’ve never seen him much. That family was loaded of money and the kid never attended school with us. I saw him maybe a few times? During some festival or in that huge garden” he said and Chanyeol immediately remembered that house.

It was indeed huge, with a beautiful garden and a lot of attendants.

But Chanyeol didn’t have any memories of kids.

“You should ask Jongin if you are interested. I know that he managed to play with the boy several times” he continued and Chanyeol nodded shortly.

Sehun stayed silent, watching his friend lost in thought.

“Why are you interested, by the way?” he asked and Chanyeol shook his head.

“I finally met the stranger who arrived from far away and it seems that he’s no stranger, since he lived here” he explained shortly, leaving outside all the part about him feeling attracted to the man.

Sehun was perplexed.

“And he came to you just to tell you that he lived here?” he continued asking, perplexity clear on his face.

Chanyeol nodded shortly.

“It seems that the laboratory remembered him something” he added and Sehun hummed in thought.

“This story is strange, _hyung_. Don’t go too near him, he’s someone of the military after all. Nothing good can come by it” he concluded and Chanyeol nodded again, gravely.

They exchanged some news about the work and then they parted their ways.

Chanyeol thought that Sehun didn’t have to worry.

Probably he wouldn’t meet Baekhyun never again.

Even though he felt a bit sad about the thought.

Contrary to his assumptions, Baekhyun came back several times after the first one.

He came directly in the laboratory, avoiding being seeing by other people.

Chanyeol thought that he was avoiding everyone except himself but somehow, he was fine with it.

Sometimes they remained in the laboratory, Baekhyun watching in silence what Chanyeol was doing with his work.

Some other times, they would go out, Baekhyun asking about everything happened on Earth in the past twenty years.

Baekhyun almost never spoke about his actual work, but was more than willing to share what he remembered of his past with Chanyeol.

He was exactly the kid that lived in the huge house at the end of Chanyeol’s street in the past and he was educated at home, reasons why he didn’t attend school with them.

He vaguely remembered coming to the glass laboratory with his father in many occasion, finding Park father working near the furnaces.

He was glad to know that even though he was older, Park father was still alive and enjoying his retirement with his wife in a nice home in Busan-3.

Sometimes Chanyeol went all the way there to pass some time with his family, but mainly they stayed in contact through holograms.

Baekhyun’s presence became soon a constant in Chanyeol’s life and he got to miss the man when he wasn’t around for unknown reason.

And Chanyeol wasn’t a fool either.

He came to understand that the sensations he felt on the first day, just grew stronger with the pass of time and Baekhyun piqued not only his interest but made him slowly fall in love for him.

That afternoon they went out and they were sitting on a bench in the park, speaking of nothings, when Baekhyun checked his wristwatch, scrunching his nose.

“I think I took a lot of your time today too, Chanyeol” he said sitting up and smiling down to the man.

Chanyeol didn’t want him to go, not yet at least.

Time was passing too fast, heavens know when Baekhyun’s forced leave ended and he wanted to stay as long as possible with the man.

So, Chanyeol stopped him, hastily, taking his hand.

"Wait" he only said and Baekhyun turn his head to him, staring at Chanyeol perplexed.

There was confusion in his eyes but also a little shimmering.

They stayed like that for a minute before Chanyeol actually remembered that it was his turn to speak since it was him who stopped Baekhyun.

"You have somewhere else to go now?" he asked already mentally face palming himself for the stupid question.

_Great, Chanyeol_ – he thought sighing inside his head.

Why couldn't he be smoother?

Baekhyun hummed slightly.

"I wanted to try some cuisine of this area, to match it with some memories I think I have" he started and Chanyeol nodded, smiling.

"If you want to try homemade cuisine, I can cook quite well" he said, completely forgetting about Baekhyun's hand in his and they being in a public place, or how they supposedly know only for few weeks.

Chanyeol couldn't explain why, but he felt so attracted to him and to his behaviour that the idea of letting him go, was simply something that he didn't want to do, especially that day.

Baekhyun chuckled softly, slightly gripping Chanyeol's hand in his, maybe trying to remind him that their hands were still intertwined.

"Are you inviting me over, Chanyeol?" he asked, smirking beautifully and Chanyeol was almost blinded by how brilliant he was.

He just nodded and Baekhyun smiled again.

"I inform you that my expectations are pretty high" Baekhyun added again and this time was Chanyeol's turn to laugh.

"I won't let you down" he replied and Baekhyun smiled, nodding.

"Perfect, I look forward to it!" he ended and Chanyeol smiled again before _finally_ realizing that they were still holding hands.

"I'm sorry" he muttered, flushed and letting go Baekhyun's hand, but Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders.

"That's fine" he only said before starting to walk, followed by Chanyeol.

The return to Chanyeol's house was lively and they talked mainly about Chanyeol and his work.

Baekhyun was keener on listening and asking questions than replying some himself, as Chanyeol realized in previous days.

Chanyeol wanted to know more of the man but didn't want to push him either.

Once they arrived at his place, they met Sehun that was exiting the atelier, closing after him.

"Hyung, I looked for you earlier, Jongin came to visit and asked of you" he started, waving shortly and when he saw Baekhyun near Chanyeol, he rose his eyebrows.

"Hi there" Baekhyun said smiling when he met the younger stare.

"Sehun, this is Baekhyun is staying in the area for a while" Chanyeol said and immediately going on with: "Baekhyun, this is my friend and co-worker Oh Sehun".

Sehun nodded toward Baekhyun who pulled out his hand to greet him.

Sehun shook it but he was a bit on the defensive.

He enquired Baekhyun with his stare, probably trying to figure out why he was with Chanyeol since he expressly suggested him not to exit with said Baekhyun.

"And that's fine, I'll phone Jongin later" Chanyeol added smiling to Sehun that nodded back to him.

"Fine, see you tomorrow then" he said finally, glancing once again toward Baekhyun, and Chanyeol smiled waiving him.

Baekhyun bowed a little, smiling.

When Sehun was far, Baekhyun's smile faded.

"Did I make something to irritate him?" he asked and Chanyeol looked perplexed at him.

"Why?" he asked back and Baekhyun forced a smile pulling his hand through his hands, sighing.

"He looked at me as if I killed his dog" he muttered and Chanyeol shook his head.

"He didn't seem to be upset to me" he commented and Baekhyun sighed again.

"Maybe it's just me?" he whispered, barely audible to Chanyeol.

He thought about commenting, explaining that maybe it was because Sehun didn’t particularly loved militaries, but he heard a beeping sound coming from Baekhyun.

The man watched his wrist, tapping twice on his watch.

"Here Commander Byun" he started seriously, fixing something behind his hear and making a gesture of excuse toward Chanyeol.

"What the heck is your problem?" he spat out after listening to what his interlocutor was saying.

He stayed silent a little bit more, torturing his bottom lips with his slender fingers, eyes closed in concentration.

"Fine, _fine_. Do as you please but if Commodore Kim comes to me asking about you, I'll spill out everything" he said shortly, softly smiling.

He opened his eyes and laughed after hearing another thing and then shifted his gaze to Chanyeol, smiling widely.

"I know, and I love you too Dae. See you tomorrow" he concluded, tapping again in his wristwatch.

Did Chanyeol heard well?

The conversation seemed to be pretty intimate and Baekhyun said he loved this * _Dae_ *.

Was it a woman? A man? Or another whole race?

Maybe Chanyeol was just deluding himself and the relationship that he established with Baekhyun was destined to remain in the friend zone.

"Sorry about that... Should we enter?" he said softly, smile still present on his lips.

Chanyeol nodded slightly, walking toward the back door where there was direct access to his house.

He showed Baekhyun the way, and then he started cooking, feeling the other's stare on him.

He couldn't quite take that silence.

And he needed to know before starting and finding himself in awkward situations.

"Was it your fiancé?" he asked slowly, cutting some vegetables and without rising his stare from there.

Baekhyun was silent before snorting and immediately exploding in a loud laughter.

"Oh heavens, no, please. I'd already killed him if he was my boyfriend" he then added and Chanyeol felt a strange sensation in his lungs, feeling definitely lighter.

"I misunderstood?" he asked again just for being sure.

Baekhyun came closer to him leaning on the kitchen stove, chuckling softly, stare still amused.

"Yes, definitely. He's my favorited subordinate and my friend, somehow" he explained watching what Chanyeol was doing.

"Oh, right. And he made some mess?" he asked again at which Baekhyun laughed again, this time more softly, almost another chuckle.

"I wouldn't say, no. He just took all his paid leave to come here and meet me when he was saying that he was going to save them to go somewhere far with crystal sea and pearly beaches" he explained, moving his stare to follow every move Chanyeol was doing.

"Oh, there's a nice beach also around here if you want. The sea is not so crystal anymore, but the sand is nice. If the weather is good, I can accompany you there" Chanyeol said, putting all the vegetables in a pan on the old stove.

Baekhyun opened up in a cute smile.

"Sure, if you're fine bringing him along too. It would be bad to go only you and me" he said, and his tone seemed clearly teasingly to Chanyeol, but he let just drop it, adding immediately: "I thought asking to some friends too actually. Like Sehun, Jongin and...? And maybe Jongin's boyfriend?" he started and Baekhyun smiled sweetly.

"It's nice having so much friends" he commented, but Chanyeol shook his head.

"They're neighbours from forever. Except Kyungsoo, Jongin's boyfriend. He came from another city, so I don't know him so much" he explained shortly and Baekhyun nodded slightly.

"Wait..." he started immediately after.

"How are the rights for interracial and same sex relationships here?" he asked preoccupied.

Chanyeol stared at him flatly before shaking his head, briefly.

"It's like... Equal?" he asked him, perching up his eyebrows and Baekhyun sighed softly.

"Thanks heavens, I can speak freely at least while I'm here" he said smiling in the same sparkling way as before.

Chanyeol stared a bit in awe before reminding himself to move his hand and check what he was cooking.

"There are places where it's not equal?" asked Chanyeol interested by Baekhyun's reaction.

Baekhyun nodded slowly.

"Unfortunately, a lot more than expected. Even though I don't understand why. I mean love is... Love. In every shape, colour, gender or race" he said slowly and Chanyeol looked at him, seeing how hurt he was under the confidence he faked.

"Are you in love with someone, Baekhyun?" he asked almost whispering, words leaving his lips before he could actually process the thought.

Baekhyun rose his head, looking at Chanyeol widely, cheeks slightly blushed.

"Never was" he replied shortly before shifting his gaze away and moving putting some distance between him and Chanyeol.

Chanyeol wanted to inquire further about it, but Baekhyun smiled softly, moving his hand to shift the pan out of the stove.

"I think it's burning, Chanyeol" he said, not meeting the other man's stare.

Chanyeol's stare went wide before taking the pan and controlling the damages.

Nothing irreparable, luckily.

He sighed shortly before stirring with a ladle.

They remained in silence until the diner was ready.

Chanyeol set the table and signed Baekhyun to sit.

He was finding a way to speak with him about something different, when Baekhyun chuckled softly.

"It's good, even though I didn't expect it" he stated and Chanyeol feigned offense.

"I told that I wouldn't let your expectations down" he replied, smile already forming on his face.

"Sure, sure... Except that you were almost burning it" he added and Chanyeol blushed slightly.

"Everything was under control" he replied immediately and Baekhyun laughed shortly.

"It gives me the same weird feeling I got when Dae tell me he's fine in tight situations during our missions" he concluded and Chanyeol huffed shifting his gaze outside the window.

It was getting dark outside and the outline of the big city near theirs was getting creeper.

Chanyeol didn't particularly love that moment of the day. He preferred dawn to sunset.

But there in Baekhyun's company, he thought that everything was fine.

How much can he be invested in someone he just met?

Why Baekhyun was giving him that familiar and comfortable vibes?

"Come on, I didn't plan to offend you, I'm sorry" Baekhyun whispered, bringing Chanyeol back to the present situation.

He brought his stare to Baekhyun, noticing worry in his eyes, immediately feeling guilty.

"Oh, no, I'm sorry too. I'm not offended, I was just... Lost in my thoughts" he apologized too and Baekhyun worried stare changed into one more preoccupied.

"Are you okay? Did I say..." he started but Chanyeol immediately shook his head.

"No, no, no worries. I'm just not used to have people around. And I'm a bit sociopathic..." he said tone getting increasingly softer, almost a breath.

Baekhyun's eyes widen before softly smiling.

"I'm grateful that you let me in, then" he commented, tilting his head and Chanyeol felt his cheeks getting redder again.

How could it be possible to be so involved in someone so much in so short time?

"It was only..." he started but Baekhyun's wristwatch beeped again.

"I'm sorry" Baekhyun muttered, tapping on his wrist.

"Here Commander Byun" he said closing his eyes, probably already recognizing the voice of his interlocutor.

He listened in silence, frowning as the time passed and then shook his head.

"It's not like I could steal a droid without anyone noticing. There were almost fifty people at my departure, sir, and with all due respect, they're your subordinates too. And why are you enquiring me now of all the times?" he asked and Chanyeol flinched, surprised.

Baekhyun waited for the reply and then shook his head again.

"I won't stay here listening to your accusations, Sir. You can come all the way here to control my vehicle if you want to, but I won't be back until next month" he replied and when the other started shouting something that Chanyeol didn't manage to understand, Baekhyun hang up.

He sighed deeply.

Chanyeol had already questions on his lips when Baekhyun forced a smile.

"I really like what I do, you know? I just don't give a shit about politics and this is the payback" he stated, threading his fingers in his hair and sighing again.

"Are you sure it's about politics?" Chanyeol asked innocently.

He couldn't see how the theft of a droid could be something political.

Baekhyun stared at him perplexed and then smiled again.

"Super sure, actually. Usually if something disappears, the chief of that sector calls the central management and report it. In this case should have been Yixing, chief of the droid and starship sector, who phoned Minseok, Director of the Central management, to report what happened" Baekhyun started showing him a hologram from his wristwatch which depicted various departments of the biggest starship Chanyeol has ever seen in his life.

The name seemed to be "Cloud 9" but Chanyeol wasn't so sure about it.

Baekhyun made the hologram vanishing again.

"Instead, this time Captain Kim called me personally asking me if I took it" he continued and Chanyeol perched up his eyebrows.

"And why it's that?" he asked perplexed.

It didn't make any sense to him.

Baekhyun laughed shortly.

"Why? Because in the last Galactic Conference I implied that he was a complete incompetent" he said smirking and Chanyeol laughed too briefly.

"Petty of him" he retorted but Baekhyun shook his head.

"Unfortunately, all the military system works on these idiocies" he ended up, forcing a smile and tapping twice on his wristwatch.

A hologram newspaper appeared and Baekhyun showed it to Chanyeol.

Every single news was about political intrigues and accords.

"What am I seeing?" he asked even though he wasn't stupid, and he quite got the idea.

"The Intergalactic Post. It mainly occupies of military affairs" Baekhyun replied scrolling between the news.

Every single news seems to be identical, at least until Chanyeol saw something and stopped Baekhyun.

"What was that?" he asked and Baekhyun scrolled back of two or three news.

He flinched seeing the news that attracted Chanyeol's curiosity.

The heading was pretty much self explaining.

"Admiral Byun and his wife were murdered? Is there any connection with the new Cosmic Pact?" it stated and Chanyeol immediately looked at the date.

It was only few months ago.

Baekhyun sighed before making the hologram vanish.

"Is this the reason why your superior sent you here on forced leave?" Chanyeol asked and Baekhyun nodded shortly.

"Do you have something to drink? I want to tell you a story" he replied and Chanyeol nodded, sitting up and retrieving some beers from the fridge.

Baekhyun wasn't exactly a light drinker, so it took a while before he could start relaxing and finally tell something more to Chanyeol.

"It's difficult for human to get to the top of military ranks. Usually there are races more suited than us to occupy the higher ranks of the Universal League" he started briefly, not looking at Chanyeol but at the bottom of his bottle.

He was speaking softly, almost whispering and telling something like it was distant, while Chanyeol got the idea that it wasn't so much time before.

"My father, Admiral Byun, was one of the fiercest, most honest and loyal people in the whole Human League and he really deserved everything he obtained in his life. He worked hard for every single planet, star and race he could save or protect. His plans were always made for the people and for common welfare" he continued, voice steady and Chanyeol didn't need to be a military to know that a person like that could be quite problematic for the ones yearning for power.

Baekhyun emptied his bottle, opening another one and speaking again.

"He wanted to sign what we called Cosmic Pact. It was for interracial rights and to protect even the minorities, granting them rights that in this moment aren't" he added, drinking more and shaking his head.

"My mother was terrified by the fact that he was standing even when he received threats. She wanted him to step back and rethink about it" Baekhyun's tone was getting even softer than the start, even though he wasn't showing any signs of drunkenness.

"They had an accident. It was four months ago. Everyone said that it was because someone drunk enough crashed with their car, but it wasn't. I'm sure about it" he concluded pressing his lips together, forming a thin line.

Chanyeol stayed silent for a moment before asking what in that moment he thought Baekhyun failed to tell him.

"And you? What do you think about it? Where were you in all of this?" he asked softly and Baekhyun stared at him, perplexed.

"Are you accusing me of not caring?" he asked and Chanyeol shook immediately his head, emptying his bottle.

"No, maybe I phrased it wrongly. It's just that you just told me something I could read in every newspaper. Not what Admiral Byun's son is thinking" he explained and Baekhyun's eyes went wider.

He pulled his bottom lips between his teeth and shook shortly his head.

"No one ever asked me" he whispered softly.

Chanyeol was astonished.

"What? It would be the first question! You were his child...! How nobody asked you how you felt?" he asked and Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders.

"Because why they should care about an illegitimate son who left his parents just to become the fastest star-ship pilot of the Galaxy? Returning only when he was having nightmares due to his accident induced amnesia? And that couldn't protect them how they protected him in all these years?" he asked, anger clearly showing in his tone and his gesture, as he passed his hand through his hair and emptied another bottle.

Chanyeol shook his head.

"I don't think this is what your parents thought of you, Baekhyun" he said shortly, his stare scornful.

Baekhyun sighed deeply.

"Obviously no. They loved me _oh so much_ I didn't deserve half of it" he replied and Chanyeol smiled softly.

"I bet your father was really proud of you" he added and Baekhyun smiled fondly.

"You can bet it, yes. The last thing he said me was to always walk tall and never forget what I was fighting for. Who I wanted to protect. He was my hero" he whispered, eyes glassy and Chanyeol couldn't resist the temptation to cup Baekhyun's cheek with his hand.

"And are you doing it?" he asked him in a whisper, stroking Baekhyun's cheek with his fingers.

Baekhyun's eyes fluttered closed before he could sigh again and shake his head.

"Not recently. I... Commodore Kim sent me away exactly for that reason. To make me remember what I'm fighting for" he explained leaning on the contact with Chanyeol's warm fingers.

"And did you find it?" Chanyeol asked interested.

Baekhyun opened his eyes watching into Chanyeol's like he was looking for something, a reply or a sign.

"Maybe" he whispered before leaning towards Chanyeol and softly kissing his cheek.

Chanyeol watched him perplexed and astonished by the other’s gesture.

How should he interpret that soft kiss?

And why Baekhyun’s scent was so sweet it could cancel whatever other thoughts were on Chanyeol’s mind?

"It's better if I go now, can't be here all night" he started making his move to sit up, but Chanyeol took his hand in his and shook his head.

If the signs were correct, Baekhyun was interested in him at least a bit even if not how much Chanyeol himself.

"Stay" he whispered and Baekhyun's stare was immediately on him.

"Are you sure? Won't it be a mistake, tomorrow?" he asked and Chanyeol shook his head again.

"I'll think about it tomorrow" he concluded, even if he was sure that he wouldn’t regret anything regarding the man in front of him and leaning in to finally press his lips with Baekhyun's plush one.

He felt like an electric shock, the anticipation of the next move, his tongue exploring Baekhyun's mouth were everything he wanted to feel in that moment.

Baekhyun pushed him to the back of the couch, hovering over him and sitting on his laps, strangling Chanyeol's tights between his legs.

He kissed slowly, fingers brushing Chanyeol's hair, pulling them softly when the other started moving his hand on Baekhyun's back, caressing his waist.

"Chanyeol" he whispered moving from his lips and descending to the neck, leaving wet traces and red bruises on his wake.

Chanyeol moaned, grinding his erection with Baekhyun's, earning a soft groan from the man on him.

Baekhyun slowly started to unbutton his shirt and Chanyeol's hands were already on his torso, caressing his toned abdomen and kissing slowly the exposed of his neck.

Baekhyun sighed in response, pulling him closer and carding his finger through Chanyeol's hair.

He pulled at Chanyeol t-shirt wanting it out as soon as possible and Chanyeol obliged without thinking twice.

Baekhyun's fingers were everywhere, caressing and teasing.

Their moans became the only sound in the room and Chanyeol realized he couldn't have enough of Baekhyun's sweet voice moaning his name.

Baekhyun's hand went to Chanyeol's crotch, and he stopped kissing him as for asking permission.

Chanyeol nodded helping him to unbutton them.

"Don't we want to use the bed instead?" he asked softly soon after and Baekhyun stared at him, eyes glassy and lips flushed red.

He was fascinating.

"Sure" he whispered, his tone deeper.

Chanyeol guided him to his bedroom, where Baekhyun completely undressed before climbing once again on top of Chanyeol, brushing their naked erections together.

Chanyeol groaned, pulling him down for a passionate kiss, tongues exploring both their mouths.

When Baekhyun had enough of only kisses and rubbings, he looked at Chanyeol asking him shortly if he had lube or something that could do the trick.

He shook his head and Baekhyun sighed softly.

"Okay, no problems" he whispered before asking Chanyeol's to suck his fingers.

Chanyeol obeyed, covering in thick saliva Baekhyun's fingers and when the latter thought it was sufficiently good, he popped them out, moving them to circle his own entrance.

Chanyeol was fascinated and enthralled by the vision of Baekhyun fingering himself.

The man started softly, with only a digit, moving slowly and adjusting to the feeling but he didn't take much longer before he was inserting another one and then another one again.

"You seem used to it" Chanyeol said, voice low and rough, throat raspy.

Baekhyun smirked toward Chanyeol, making him die for a moment.

"Pervert. It's just because I do it when I'm alone..." he said softly and Chanyeol couldn't stand any longer to only watch without touching.

He moved his fingers to Baekhyun's nipples caressing and softly squeezing them, mouth licking slowly his neck and earning himself more moaning and curses.

"Chanyeol..." Baekhyun moaned, starting to set a pace to his ministrations inside himself.

Chanyeol helped him sustain, putting a hand on his side, easing his movements.

Chanyeol felt burning hot and he wanted to touch Baekhyun everywhere, feeling him and earning more sweet sounds from him.

He wanted to see Baekhyun completely lost in pleasure.

"Chanyeol... Please" he started, groaning and biting his own lips to conceive his pleasure.

Chanyeol touched slightly his lips, releasing them from the bite, pulling him down to kiss him tenderly.

"Don't hide your pleasure, Baekhyun. You're beautiful" Chanyeol whispered and Baekhyun groaned again, precum forming already on his erection.

"Please, please..." he said softly near Chanyeol's ear before slowly tracing it with his tongue.

"What do you need, Baekhyun? Tell me and I'll give it to you" Chanyeol teased a bit, sucking Baekhyun's nipple in his mouth and stroking slowly his member.

Baekhyun almost cried in pleasure.

"I need you inside me" he moaned, hissing when he removed his fingers from himself and pushing down Chanyeol.

"Do you want me to...?" Chanyeol started but Baekhyun was already on him, stroking Chanyeol's erection and earning himself some low groans from Chanyeol.

"May I?" Baekhyun asked, breath coming shortly and hastily.

Chanyeol only managed to nod before Baekhyun was already pulling himself down on Chanyeol's cock.

He started slowly but when the first stretch was made, he bottomed out, crying Chanyeol's name.

Chanyeol moaned loudly, placing his hands on Baekhyun's waist and surely leaving some bruises.

Baekhyun felt so tight and squeezed Chanyeol so well that for a moment he thought he was already coming, due to the pleasure he was feeling.

Baekhyun stared at him in bliss, lips parted and eyes full blown with want.

"Tell me when..." he started but Chanyeol shook his head.

"Whenever it's fine for you" he supplied for him and Baekhyun smiled softly, starting slowly to move on Chanyeol.

He placed his hands on Chanyeol's shoulders and started to set a pace, bouncing on Chanyeol's laps, feeling his erection getting harder inside himself.

Their hands were everywhere, caressing, squeezing stroking every single centimetre of each other skins.

And what wasn't covered by their hands, was by their tongues.

Chanyeol shifted slightly inside Baekhyun, finding his soft spot and when he found it, Baekhyun almost _mewled_ Chanyeol's name, urging him to continue.

It didn't take long before Baekhyun was chanting Chanyeol's name like a mantra, gripping his shoulders like his life depended on them, coming untouched between them and squeezing Chanyeol inside him all the way through his own orgasm.

Chanyeol growled lowly, biting Baekhyun's shoulder and coming inside him, white lights flashing beneath his eyes, completely overwhelmed by the pleasure.

They were both panting hard and Baekhyun hissed when he slowly removed himself from Chanyeol's laps, staggering to what he thought it was the bathroom and feeling Chanyeol's cum slide down his inner tights.

Chanyeol followed him immediately, helping him wipe the most possible out of both of them.

"Do you want to shower?" he asked softly and Baekhyun nodded, sliding open the glass door of the shower.

They exchanged a stare before Baekhyun smiled softly.

"Want to join me?" he whispered and Chanyeol flashed him a smile.

"Sure" he replied setting the water to the right temperature and inviting Baekhyun inside.

They washed together, Chanyeol mainly admiring Baekhyun's beautiful and toned body and the marvellous job he made in leaving all those hickeys on his body.

He helped Baekhyun clean up and, once outside, he offered him one of his t-shirt even though it was large on Baekhyun.

He accepted it willingly and followed Chanyeol to the bed again.

They lay down in silence, Chanyeol gently stroking Baekhyun's hair.

"It was beautiful, Chanyeol. Thanks" he said, voice muffled and sleep already seeping through his words.

Chanyeol hummed in consent, kissing his forehead and slowly drifting to sleep too.

The morning after, Chanyeol woke up and the bed was empty at his side.

He sighed deeply, immediately thinking of Baekhyun.

When did he wake up?

And he already left or...?

A lot of questions was swirling in his head until a humming reached his ears.

It was low and sweet, and it felt like a ballad or something like that.

Chanyeol sat up, went quickly to the bathroom and then in the kitchen, watching Baekhyun cooking something and humming under his breath.

He got near Baekhyun and tried to surprise him, but Baekhyun turned back to him smiling.

"Not so wise trying a stealth attack on a soldier, you know?" he said smiling softly and Chanyeol chuckled softly.

"You could have just pretended to be surprised?" he guessed, giving him just a peck on his nose.

Baekhyun laughed, scrunching his nose a bit.

"Sure, sure, my mistake. Do you want to redo it?" he asked smiling and turn his back at Chanyeol again.

Chanyeol shook his head, planting soft kisses on Baekhyun's neck, earning a low groan.

"May I suppose that you didn't regret last night?" Baekhyun asked him, slowly, without making eyes contact with Chanyeol.

Chanyeol waited for him to put in the plate what he was cooking (it seemed to be fried rice) and for him to turn to his side, being able to watch him in the eyes.

"I don't know why, but I feel something for you, Baekhyun. And it's not only physical attraction. This is all so... _domestic_ and it already feels so good to me" he started speaking and Baekhyun blushed softly in front of him.

"I..." he started but his watch beeped making Baekhyun sigh and swipe away the call instead of taking it.

"For me..." he tried again but the watch beeped again and Chanyeol made a sign to take the call.

Maybe it was important.

Baekhyun took it but before replying, waited for the interlocutor name to appear.

It was _Dae_.

"Can't you _fucking_ wait a _fucking_ minute before talking of whatever you want to?" he spat out angrily and the reply came immediately, changing Baekhyun expression promptly from angry to worried.

"Can you copy that?" he asked, and his tone was beyond worried.

_Dae_ repeated again what he said and Baekhyun sighed.

"Why in the universe there should be a military fleet outside Mercury right now? They're our allies from centuries..." he started but the reply came immediately again.

"OK see you in few hours" he concluded, ending the call and looking at Chanyeol frustrated.

"I want to repeat tonight for every other night to come" he whispered, hugging Chanyeol tight.

Chanyeol embraced him too, stroking his back and resting his chin on the top of his head, soft smile appearing on his lips.

"Can I help you in something?" he asked softly but Baekhyun shook his head, detaching from Chanyeol.

"I want you to know that for me it's the same. I feel _something_ I've never felt before. This is different from every other one night stand I had before" he said focusing on Chanyeol's expression.

Chanyeol smiled softly to him and Baekhyun leant in to kiss briefly his lips.

"So, I don't know what all of this means, but I don't want to leave you and these... Feelings" he concluded pushing Chanyeol's plate in his hands and smiling widely again.

Chanyeol smiled too, accepting the food and kissing him briefly too.

"Even though it’s too early for everything" he stated pondering his options and taking his plate, munching the fried rice.

Chanyeol thought that Baekhyun was super cute like that and it was great also that he was considering their relationship as possible.

Because he wanted that to be true too.

He wanted a relationship with Baekhyun.

Even though he wasn’t staying on Earth forever and eventually he would have to return to his work.

But, indeed, it was too early in the morning for Chanyeol to start worrying about it.

"What about Mercury?" Chanyeol asked then, sitting at the table and followed by Baekhyun that sighed again.

"Dae said that there's like a star-cruiser in Mercury's orbit. And it's one of our ship, but I don't understand why since Mercury government has always been supportive of the League" he explained, tapping on the wristwatch and looking for some news that could explain the presence of the ship.

He hummed in thought.

"Maybe I could go and take a look. It's not so distant from here" he pondered and Chanyeol looked surprised.

"Mercury is not exactly around the corner" he noticed but Baekhyun smirked.

"I'm not the fastest pilot of the galaxy for nothing, Chanyeol" he stated, smiling and Chanyeol shook his head resigned.

But Baekhyun decided to wait until the arrive of _Dae_ with more news before deciding what was his best option.

It took less than Baekhyun predicted for his friend to arrive.

They only managed to shower again, dress and go down in the laboratory before Baekhyun’s wristwatch beeped again.

“Where are you?” Baekhyun asked exiting in Chanyeol’s rear garden.

He didn’t have to ask it twice because from the street a young man in military uniform came running and waiving when he saw Baekhyun.

“Dae!” Baekhyun exclaimed high-fiving the man who laughed.

“Baek! Glad to see you!” he replied before realizing that they weren’t alone.

“Good going” he commented immediately seeing Chanyeol who blushed softly, feeling too aware of himself.

Baekhyun snorted before introducing them.

“Chanyeol, this is Lieutenant Kim Jondae. Dae, this is Park Chanyeol, glass artisan and my... Love interest” he said and Chanyeol bowed shortly also for hiding his furious blush.

Who in the universe still said _love interest_ instead of partner or lover?

Jondae whistled, appreciating the comment before widening his eyes.

“Wait, what?” he asked immediately and Baekhyun smiled softly, cheeks reddening.

“No, wait, I mean, Commander Byun has a _love interest_?” Jondae repeated astonished, gaze drifting between the two men in front of him.

Chanyeol perched up an eyebrow, curiosity tinting his stare, but Baekhyun blushed a bit more.

“Quit it, Dae. It’s just... Happened. And Chanyeol is really good to me” he explained in a low tone and Chanyeol nodded shortly.

Jondae stared newly between them and then more intensely on Baekhyun.

“Oh, I see how much he takes good care of you” he started and Chanyeol followed his stare, perplexed and not fully understanding what the man was saying until he spotted what piqued Jondae’s interest.

On Baekhyun’s neck there was a purple blooming hickey.

“About that, I didn’t mean any harm to your commander, Lieutenant Kim” Chanyeol started saying, not meeting Baekhyun’s eyes.

Jondae nodded knowingly.

“Oh, certainly no harm. I’ll dare to say it was a pleasure?” he commented again and Chanyeol was blushing profusely.

Baekhyun finally realized what they were talking about and covered the hickey closing another button of his shirt and glaring at Jondae.

“Do you mind telling me what did you see on Mercury orbit, now? Or do you want me to give you some more information about last night?” he asked smirking and Jondae shook his head.

“No, heavens, no. Too much information!” the other replied sighing.

Only in that moment Chanyeol could observe better the man.

He was as short as Baekhyun, but not as fair skinned.

His hair was hazelnut coloured and his eyes green.

He seemed to be buffed than Baekhyun himself but maybe it was only Chanyeol’s impression.

“In a second, should arrive also Minseok” Jondae started saying and Baekhyun was perplexed.

“Why in the galaxy...” he started but another man came running from the road.

“Commander Byun, nice to see you” he exclaimed waiving toward them and Baekhyun made the martial greet.

“Captain Minseok, glad to see you here. What made you come here to Earth of all the places?” he asked, and the man greeted him the same way before dismissing his stance.

“I’m not in charge here. I took my leave with Jondae, just Minseok will be fine, Baekhyun” he said smiling and Baekhyun nodded before looking at Jondae interested.

“When did you two happened?” he asked making both Jondae and Minseok laughing.

Jondae took Minseok’s hand in his before replying.

“During your mission to Black Pearl Station” he said softly and Baekhyun nodded shortly.

“It took away a lot of my time and resources, indeed” Baekhyun commented, before introducing Chanyeol to Minseok.

Kim Minseok was even shorter than Baekhyun and Jondae.

His hair was pink, and he wasn’t wearing a uniform but something more similar to a bounty hunter outfit.

Ragged jacket and sand coloured trousers, at his waist was latched a little bag full of who knew what.

Minseok greeted him shaking his hand, easier going than Jondae.

“You’re super tall, Chanyeol! All the Earthlings are like this?” he asked and Chanyeol shook his head briefly.

“I suppose no?” he replied and Minseok chuckled shortly, explaining that despite being human, for him it was the first time he saw Earth.

He was born and raised on the Colony of Vega.

“By the way, Baekhyun...” Minseok started again watching in his direction and Baekhyun flinched at the improvise attention.

“What did I do this time?” he asked smiling shortly and Minseok huffed.

“Beside infuriating Captain Kim? He is really pissed off by you. What the hell did you do to him?” he asked back and Baekhyun sighed.

“Nothing. Just said that he is an incompetent” he replied shrugging his shoulders.

Jondae laughed soundly but Minseok sighed.

“You know how much pride is important for that man. Now he’s convinced that you took away one of Yixing’s droid” he continued and Baekhyun shook his head.

“As I already said, I didn’t take it. You were there too... I came with the fast asset, where could I have put a droid as big as Yixing’s?” he enquired and Minseok hummed shortly.

“Indeed... Great question” he added before shaking his head again.

“Still, you should be more careful. What if...” he started but Baekhyun cut him off immediately.

In his eyes there was something obscure that Chanyeol hadn’t seen before.

“It won’t happen anymore. I won’t let it happen” he concluded before redirecting the argument on the star-cruiser outside Mercury.

Before he could start speaking, Chanyeol shortly interrupted him.

“I’ve to go, Baekhyun. Sehun will be here in few minutes and I have some work to do. Let me know when you have finished if you want to pass by later. We can have... Dinner together if you want?” he said softly, hand moving to caress Baekhyun’s own hand, trying to show affection but without embarrassing Baekhyun in front of his comrades.

Baekhyun smiled softly, no traces of the darkness that Chanyeol spotted few minutes before.

“Sure, I’d love it if that’s fine for you” he replied, leaning in to kiss him shortly on his lips.

Chanyeol kissed back, keeping it short, but savouring all Baekhyun’s scent.

“Perfect. Will wait for you” he concluded, walking toward the atelier and going to his work leaving Baekhyun to his own.

Weeks started to pass slowly for Chanyeol and Baekhyun.

They were both occupied with their own works but always managed to meet and spend time together.

Sometime, they also invited their friend along, like the time they decided to go to the sea.

It was a beautiful day, skies were high and there wasn’t any sign of clouds.

It was warm more than hot.

Jondae was excited like a baby and wouldn’t shut up for all the trip going to the sea.

He felt like he hadn’t visit the beach for all his life, and Chanyeol came to know that it was exactly like that.

Jondae never went outside out of Cloud9 if not for mission or military duties.

He was really saving all of his paid leave for a long trip out.

The one he never took in order to come find Baekhyun.

Chanyeol drove all of them in an old family van to the beach and the only one that didn’t fall asleep during the drive was exactly Jondae.

They spoke about the life outside Earth and Chanyeol was perplexed and astonished to know that he was quite lucky to live on Earth, since a lot of terrible things was happening in the rest of the Universe in that very moment.

When they reached the beach, Jondae and Minseok went immediately running to the sea, without even waiting the other or choosing a place for the sun umbrella or helping to bring along the bags loaded with food, gently courtesy of Kyungsoo.

Baekhyun smiled softly at the view.

“You seem pleased” Chanyeol noticed and Baekhyun’s smile went wider.

“Dae and I have been on a lot of mission together and I’ve never seen him this happy. And seeing Minseok- _hyung_ like this too, it’s almost a miracle” he replied, helping him unloading the van.

Jongin, Sehun and Kyungsoo joined them soon and they helped choosing a place and settling down all the things they had.

When Jondae returned from the sea, he seemed almost a soaked puppy, dripping all the way to the umbrella.

Baekhyun scolded him, throwing at him something to dry off a bit.

Jongin and Sehun started playing soccer on the sand, while Kyungsoo and Minseok sat under the big umbrella, speaking about nothings.

It was so pleasant that Chanyeol couldn’t stop smiling, almost until his cheeks started to hurt.

“You seem happy too” commented Baekhyun, finding Chanyeol’s stare already on him once he came back from a dive.

Chanyeol smiled softly, caressing his cheek.

“How couldn’t I?” he just replied and Baekhyun smiled too.

They joined Jongin and Sehun, together with Jondae, and started playing on the sand almost until lunch time.

The sun was high, and it started to get hotter, so they all sat under the umbrella, eating sandwiches and other delicacies that Kyungsoo prepared for them.

“I want to marry you” whispered Baekhyun, almost moaning, while he was eating and earning the scornful stare of not only Jongin but also Chanyeol and Kyungsoo himself.

“I don’t know if Yeol told you or not, but he’s my…” Jongin started but Baekhyun waved off the rest of the sentence with his hand.

“I just need him a bit to teach me how to prepare something so good, then you can have him back” he commented and Kyungsoo smiled softly.

“I could teach you even without you marrying me” he noted and Baekhyun hummed in thought.

“What if I’m too tired to prepare something myself? It’s better if you have someone who can cook for you, no?” he commented and Jondae laughed soundly.

“I don’t think that’s the actual base for a real relationship” he added and Baekhyun feigned indignance.

“No? Oh heavens, I should have known better” he exclaimed making everyone laugh.

There was a moment of silence and then Baekhyun spoke again.

“Jokes aside, you’re really good at cooking, Kyungsoo- _si_ , did you attend any school or…?” he started and Kyungsoo shook his head.

“My family own a bakery from literally ages. Even though I didn’t live always here, I’m one of the people forced to live on Earth” he commented and Baekhyun rose his eyebrows.

“There’s still people that are actually _forced_ to live here? I would give anything to live peacefully here” he replied almost immediately and Minseok smiled toward him.

“You can do it, you know? With your knowledge…” he started but Baekhyun didn’t let him finish.

“I didn’t sacrifice everything just to give up now” was the comment that left Baekhyun’s lips maybe a bit too edgy.

Jondae registered immediately the situation and changed promptly the subject.

“Also, Chanyeol’s family is known for their glasses, right?” he asked and Chanyeol nodded shortly.

“My family has a tradition almost older than Soo’s. My father had the knowledge of millennium before him. And for me it’s the same” he explained and Minseok started asking him about the techniques for blowing the glass and the utilize of lead in the vitrification.

In the afternoon they dispersed a bit, everyone doing his own activities.

Chanyeol invited Baekhyun for a walk along the foreshore and he accepted without hesitance.

They walked in silence for a bit, following the waves going and coming from the sea and small clouds drifting in the sky.

Then Baekhyun spoke.

“I really meant it before. I’d do everything to be able to come and stay here” he started softly, looking at the horizon, still walking beside Chanyeol, who slowed down his pace without stopping.

“I don’t think there would be any problem, if you would do it” he commented, shortly, and internally wanting Baekhyun to come and live stably on Earth.

Baekhyun hummed, stopping and watching Chanyeol in the eyes as he stopped too.

“I made too many mistakes for sitting still. Earth is just a place where I came to find part of my redemption. But I have still duties to fulfill” he said, voice almost a whisper and wind slowly lifting up and messing up his hair.

Chanyeol thought that he never saw someone as beautiful in his life.

The sun was setting down, lighting up Baekhyun’s face with shades of orange and red, making his usually pearly skin glowing with radiance.

His eyes were shimmering, like he was asking him something, expecting him to say something that could convince Baekhyun to stay.

Everything would be fine.

“I think that you should follow your own ideas and instinct, Baekhyun. You shouldn’t do something just because you have to repair to someone else’s mistakes or because people are expecting you to” he said and Baekhyun smile softly but sadly.

“That’s kind of you. But I’m not given any chance or possibility. My life is studded of mistakes and actions that I shouldn’t have done. There’s nothing for me nor here nor in any other part of the universe” he started but Chanyeol shook his head.

“Don’t say it. Maybe you haven’t find your place yet. The only one where you want to return at the end of the day” he interrupted and Baekhyun’s eyes went larger.

For a second, Chanyeol swore that inside Baekhyun’s eyes passed at least a million feelings.

He went silent, stare drifting newly to the horizon, admiring the sunset.

Chanyeol kneeled down picking up and polishing shells, waiting for Baekhyun to speak again.

He knew Baekhyun wanted to add something but wanted also to leave him his own space.

He picked up also a deep blue seashell which was pretty rare also for Earth standard.

“I took part to too many wars and battles to have the luxury to think about a place I can return to. I don’t have anything anymore, outside the League” he started and Chanyeol wanted to comment but Baekhyun continued speaking almost immediately.

“There’s no place for me to return. Not when my whole life is made of multiple fragments scattered around the universe. Not when I’m not home anywhere and when I can’t recognize myself in anything anymore” he muttered, keeping his stare fixed on the sunset.

Chanyeol stood up, shaking his head.

He didn’t know what Baekhyun went through because he didn’t know nothing about the universe, starships, wars and other planets.

But what he knew for sure was that Baekhyun was too hard on himself.

So, he simply took him in a surprise hug.

Baekhyun gasped in surprise, but Chanyeol started stroking his back, feeling the man relaxing in his embrace.

“Everyone makes mistakes, Baekhyun, don’t be too hard on yourself. And I’m more than sure that you will surely find your place in the universe” he whispered without stopping his hands on Baekhyun’s back.

He nodded shortly, sighing in the embrace, slowing giving himself a bit of space.

After an undefined set of time, Baekhyun suggested that they should go back to where the others were.

The return was pretty silent because every of them was tired for the long day.

Chanyeol accompanied all of them home, excluding Baekhyun who was asleep in his car for all the way home and refused to go back to his small room not so far from where Chanyeol’s laboratory was, claiming that he wasn’t tired at all and could still keep company to Chanyeol.

Even thought, in the same moment he sat on Chanyeol’s couch, he started dozing off and in less than two minutes was already asleep.

Chanyeol smiled softly bringing him back to his bed and tucking him under the blanket.

While he caressed his hair smiling softly, he was blessed with an idea.

He went downstairs and even though he was tired, he started working.

It took time to settle everything and to finish it, but at the end, several hours later, he made a glass pendant with the blue shell he found that afternoon at the beach.

He put inside also silver powder to make it sparkle as the stars in the universe.

Chanyeol didn’t know if Baekhyun would accept it or would like it, but he wanted to give it to him.

When everything was done, he went back to his bed and laid down near Baekhyun, way too used to have the man near him and feeling all the sadness that sipped through Baekhyun’s words, that day.

He wanted to shower him with love.

And make him feel like the only place he could return was Earth.

The day after, Chanyeol was woken up by hands roaming his waist and soft kissing on his neck and shoulders.

“Baekhyun… morning” he whispered, still not completely awake and without opening his eyes.

He heard a soft chuckle and a soft cheek near his.

“Morning. Did you sleep well?” Baekhyun asked, carding his finger through Chanyeol’s hair, snuggling his nose in Chanyeol’s neck.

Chanyeol loved those signs of affection Baekhyun gave him every morning when they were alone and there wasn’t anything else between them if not themselves.

It wasn’t like they openly spoke about _what_ they were, but it was clear that it wasn’t only a one-night stand.

Chanyeol hummed, caressing Baekhyun’s waist, fingers drawing circles on the smooth skin.

He immediately realized that he hadn’t give the pendant to Baekhyun even though he left it on the kitchen table.

“Wait a sec” Chanyeol whispered in his hair, sitting up and going to the kitchen to retrieve his nocturnal creation.

In the daylight was sparkling with lights he didn’t seem to have the night before, making it way more shimmering than he thought that night.

He was pondering if Baekhyun would accept it after all.

Maybe it wasn’t a great idea to give it to him.

“Everything’s fine?” Baekhyun’s voice asked, but it was nearer, and Chanyeol rising his stare, met Baekhyun’s worried one while the man was standing, leaning on the jamb of the door.

“I…” Chanyeol started but Baekhyun’s eyes went from his face to his hands, spotting the shining pendant.

“What’s that? A gift from someone?” he asked, smiling softly and Chanyeol corrected him immediately, without even realizing it.

“I made it tonight, it’s for you” he replied and Baekhyun’s eyes went larger.

He moved near Chanyeol, finger slowly reaching for the pendant and caressing the surface.

“Really?” he asked, his voice neutral, not showing any feeling and Chanyeol just managed to nod.

Baekhyun took it, shifting it to see all the different faceting.

“It’s…” he started and Chanyeol shook his head, interrupting him.

“You don’t have to take it, if you don’t want. Nor saying you like it if you don’t” he said, attracting Baekhyun’s perplexed stare.

He chuckled softly before smiling.

“It’s beautiful, Chanyeol. Even though I think something so beautiful it’s wasted on me…” he started again saying but Chanyeol interrupted him again.

“It’s for you and you only. I wouldn’t have picked up that seashell if I hadn’t met you. And I wouldn’t have created this pendant if it wasn’t inspired by you and your existence. So, don’t underestimate yourself, because you’re as beautiful as it is” he declared, feeling his cheeks catching fire for the embarrassment.

How could he have said something so embarrassing?

Even without considering Baekhyun feelings or whatever else!

He really wanted to slap himself.

But then Baekhyun smiled, a single teardrop escaping his eyes.

“Baek-…?” Chanyeol started perplexed but he was immediately squeezed in Baekhyun’s tight embrace.

“I don’t know how…” Baekhyun started saying, voice muffled from Chanyeol’s t-shirt.

“But I’ll make it happen. You’re the only place I want to return” he whispered and Chanyeol’s eyes went wider in surprise.

“Baekhyun, what do you…?” he tried again but Baekhyun shook his head, interrupting him again.

“There’s surely is a way, and I’ll find it” he concluded, hugging Chanyeol tighter and Chanyeol smiled, accepting his words and embrace, hugging him too and caressing his back and shoulder slowly.

Their days were relatively peaceful.

Both didn’t speak about the moment when Baekhyun would have to return to his work.

They just shared the maximum time possible together, getting the best of every moment, with a lot of kissing, hugging, breathing each other’s air and making love.

That day was exactly as the others.

Chanyeol was concentrated on creating new things and prototypes using old recipes.

The only moment when he was interrupted was during lunch, when Sehun came to the laboratory with something fast to eat.

They sat in front of the furnace, eating in silence.

“ _Hyung_ , did Baekhyun sleep here last night again?” Sehun asked slowly, like he couldn’t care less about it.

Chanyeol swallowed before replying.

It wasn’t like the hid their relationship from his friends, but neither they openly spoke about it.

They were friends with a lot of common points and skinship for their friends.

And maybe some benefits.

“Yes, is there any problem?” he asked back, looking at the younger sitting near him.

Sehun stared at him clearly looking for _something_ and then shook his head.

“No. It’s just the first time that you let someone in your life so easily and so quickly. Someone who will go away eventually and will hurt you even if involuntarily” he replied shrugging his shoulders and Chanyeol sighed, passing his hand through his hair.

“I know, but…” he started but Sehun shook his head.

“I’m not telling you that it’s not right or that your feelings, if you have them for him, are not valid. Just… be careful” he added hastily and Chanyeol smiled at his friend.

“I know, _Sehunnie_. Don’t worry. It’s just that it’s so easy to be comfortable around Baekhyun. It seems like he has been here for forever” he whispered and Sehun gently patted his back, smiling softly.

“You got it deep for that man, uh?” he commented and Chanyeol nodded slightly.

They stayed silent for a little while and then Sehun sat up.

“I just hope he’s worth it, _hyung_. I don’t want you to be depressed and mess everything up here” he ended up saying and Chanyeol laughed shortly.

“No worries. I’ll be fine. And he’s more than worthy” he concluded smiling to Sehun who nodded back before returning to his own work.

Chanyeol returned to crafting and only later in the afternoon, Jongin came to visit him.

“Yeol, long time not see!” he exclaimed entering the laboratory and Chanyeol waived at him.

“Pretty much. Glad to see you here” he replied, putting down his new crafts which was puzzling him more than he hoped to.

“Is Sehun also here?” he asked and Chanyeol nodded shortly indicating the atelier and Jongin gave a brief holler that sounded like _Sehun, everything’s fine?_ from the door, at which Sehun replied with a small laughter, before appearing in the laboratory too.

“How’s thing here?” Jongin asked and Chanyeol nodded shortly.

“Good? My artistical sense is still here and I’m glad that my aesthetic sense is with me too” he replied, smiling.

“ _Hyung_ brought someone at home tonight” Sehun added, jokingly, and Jongin whistle in appreciation.

“And you don’t tell me anything? How’s that?” asked, making Chanyeol blushing softly.

There was a moment of silence and Jongin perched up an eyebrow.

“There something wrong with this person you brought home? Someone I wouldn’t approve?” he asked and Chanyeol was shaking his head when Sehun supplied immediately: “It was Baekhyun. _Again._ ”.

Jongin’s eyes went larger, shifting between Sehun and Chanyeol and vice versa.

“Are you joking?” he asked to Sehun, because Chanyeol seemed to be unable to speak.

Sehun shook his head and Jongin’s stare was once again on Chanyeol.

“What in the world are you thinking about, _Yeol_?” he spat out angrily.

Chanyeol met his stare and he wasn’t only angry but also worried.

“Of all the people remaining in this planet, you went and choose the only one who will go away in less than few months?” he enquired again and Chanyeol shook slowly his head.

“It’s not like I choose him, Jongin. He’s just… _special_ ” he said and Jongin’s stare went softer, even though he was still worried.

“And I understand it, but… How in the galaxy…?” he started but Chanyeol interrupted him.

“I don’t know, okay? I don’t have a clue about how we will do or how I’ll cope with him leaving. I’m just trying to live the moment” he retorted, trying to not rise his voice.

Obviously, he was worried too.

Baekhyun would go away eventually.

Sooner than later and he wasn’t even basically prepared for it.

But he didn’t want to spend the rest of his time with Baekhyun thinking about when the man would return to his duties.

Jongin sighed deeply.

“Baekhyun is a great person, actually. So, it’s even possible that you don’t have to worry at all” he added softly, small smile appearing on his lips.

Chanyeol’s stare went immediately to his and Jongin smiled wider.

“I was the first person he came to visit when he arrived on Earth” he said, sitting near Chanyeol and patting near him to Chanyeol and Sehun.

Chanyeol didn’t even know that Baekhyun and Jongin met, even before him and Baekhyun.

“It was unexpected. He asked me if I remembered about him and we spoke about each other lives. It seems that due to his accident he lost some memories both new and old” he started and Chanyeol perched up an eyebrow.

“Accident?” he echoed and Jongin was perplexed.

“He didn’t tell you? After his parents’ car crash, he had a period in which he investigated directly on what happened. He was, and still is, committed that it wasn’t simply an accident, so he tried his best to prove it” Jongin started explaining and Chanyeol nodded shortly.

Baekhyun never hid the fact that he thought that his parents’ death wasn’t casual.

“Apparently, he made the right questions to the wrong people. And during a mission, a fellow comrade of his own group, tried to kill him. He was unconscious for a whole month before waking up again and this caused him some amnesia” he continued and Chanyeol rose an eyebrow.

Why Baekhyun didn’t tell him about it?

Jongin had already a reply also for this.

“He doesn’t like to speak about it because it makes him feel weak. And the last thing Baekhyun want is appearing weak, especially right now. Especially when his own superior constrained him to take this _forced leave_ ” Jongin concluded and Chanyeol nodded softly.

Even though he didn’t understand why Baekhyun told this story to Jongin and not to Chanyeol himself.

He didn’t rely on him?

He didn’t trust him?

Jongin patted his shoulder.

“I can see smoke leaving from those big ears of yours, Chanyeol. Baekhyun didn’t tell you just because he didn’t have the chance” he reassured him and Chanyeol nodded once again.

But he wasn’t sure it was only for that reason.

He was almost asking him something when they heard a soft knock from the door of the laboratory.

They all turned to see who was and Baekhyun was standing there, looking perplexed to see Jongin there too.

“Am I interrupting something?” he asked smiling forcefully, but Jongin shook his head.

“No, no Baek! Come in! I was almost going home” he said shortly, waiving to the man.

“Well you can stay if you want. I have still a bit to do, there” he started gesturing something behind him and Jongin looked curious.

There were Jondae and Minseok waiting for him.

They all greeted and Jongin started to speak with Jondae while Sehun confronted with Minseok on some technicians only things.

“Sorry for the fuss. I didn’t want to interrupt your work” Baekhyun said softly excusing himself with Chanyeol who shook his head.

Baekhyun seemed to be more tired than that morning and Chanyeol couldn’t fight back the urge of caressing his cheek, staring into his eyes.

“Are you okay?” he asked and Baekhyun sighed softly before leaning in and rest his head on Chanyeol’s shoulder.

“Obviously yes. No need to worry” Baekhyun replied, but his tone was a bit forced and Chanyeol cringed a bit at the reply.

“You can tell me if there’s something wrong” he added but Baekhyun shook his head.

“Nothing I haven’t been through before, Chanyeol. Seriously, there’s no need to…” he started but Chanyeol moved away from him, staring him in the eyes.

He was already irritated by the fact that Baekhyun never told him about his amnesia, and the fact that he didn’t want to share his preoccupations and problems with him, made him feel worse and act on impulse.

“Sure. My bad, I’m sorry” he said stiffly before walking outside, under the astonished stare of everyone.

“What the…?” Jongin started, but Chanyeol was already out, completely missing Baekhyun’s hurt stare.

He walked around a bit, ending up in the same park and same bench he was sitting when he went out with Baekhyun.

He realized that it wasn’t so right of him behaving like that, but he couldn’t help it.

Baekhyun was hiding him _things_ and he didn’t want it.

He wanted to have a clear relationship with him.

No lies, no hidings.

He came back to the laboratory less than two hours later, just to find Sehun sitting on his fence, playing with a hologram.

“The others?” he asked and Sehun sighed.

“Jondae and Minseok tried to convince Baekhyun that it wasn’t a great idea to go and look at what was happening who knows where near Mercury, but he went nevertheless. He told me to give this to you” he said and strangely enough Sehun passed him a paper sheet, not a hologram or data file.

The sheet was bluish and the calligraphy inside was neat and precise.

_Something is off about Mercury. It seems that more star-cruisers arrived tonight and from here we cannot do a thing about it, so I have to go and check._

_Dae and Minseok will remain on Earth if you need something, anything._

_I don’t know what happened earlier, but I understand if you changed your idea or opinion about me or the relation between us._

_After all, my mistakes still define who I am, even if being with you almost made me forget about it._

_See you around._

_Baekhyun_

He clicked his tongue, irritated.

Baekhyun was an idiot.

And went away without even giving him the time to explain.

“Jondae also leave his personal coordinate to you” Sehun added transferring the data file to Chanyeol’s phone.

Chanyeol nodded.

There was a silence before Sehun sighed deeply, sitting up from the fence.

“ _Hyung_ , I don’t know what happened earlier with Baekhyun but maybe like this is better? Jongin is right. He will eventually go away anyway” he said and Chanyeol sighed too.

“I don’t know, Sehun. And right now, I don’t want to think about it either” he concluded.

Sehun nodded shortly before greeting him and going away.

Chanyeol remained alone and, once in his apartment, didn’t even want to cook something, he went directly to his bed that still smelled like Baekhyun.

He had a hard time falling asleep.

The day after, he was wake up by his phone beeping constantly.

On the screen there was written _Lieutenant Kim Jondae_.

He accepted the call without thinking twice, fearing that wouldn’t be great news.

“Chanyeol?” the man asked in the phone and Chanyeol replied affirmatively.

“Thanks heavens you replied. I wanted to call you yesterday, but I didn’t have the time with all the preparations. I’m sorry that Baekhyun decided to go away this promptly but he swore to who knows which metaphysical entity that this affair couldn’t wait any longer and, actually, it worries also me and Minseok” he started explaining and Chanyeol nodded before giving a word reply.

“What about it?” he asked and Jondae huffed briefly.

“We are trying to understand that too. And it puzzles us. I’m glad that Baekhyun, who is the fastest pilot in all the Galactic League, was here with us” he replied shortly and Chanyeol sat up, messing his hair up.

“So, what now?” he enquired again and there was a small silence before Jondae spoke up again.

“I don’t know how serious is what is going on between you and Baekhyun. What I know is that I’ve never seen him so fretting up. He wanted to depart promptly in order to return as soon as possible. I tried to convince him that his departure could be wait until today, but he said that in today he would already be halfway through it” he started explaining and Chanyeol was perplexed.

Baekhyun was hasting things just to come back as soon as possible?

“How much time will it take?” Chanyeol asked shortly and Jondae laughed.

“Depending on traffic?” he joked and Chanyeol huffed, small smile forming on his lips.

“Joking aside, he should be back for tonight or maybe tomorrow morning?” he mumbled under his breath, maybe checking on the hour.

Chanyeol was surprised.

“So quickly?” he asked and Jondae laughed again.

“He has a good vehicle with him and as I told you, he’s the fastest pilot of the League” he explained and Chanyeol sighed, remembering the smug smile Baekhyun had on his lips when he told Chanyeol he was the faster.

“Let me know if there’s something else going on or if he contacts you” he added and Jondae hummed in thought.

“Actually, I’m calling you exactly for this reason. There’s some news. And they’re not good” he added and when Chanyeol asked him what he meant, Jondae’s reply was adamant.

“Baekhyun’s forced leave was revoked. He will be coming to Earth just for a briefing with us and then he’ll go back with us to Cloud9” he said and Chanyeol felt his breath dying in his throat.

It was too soon.

Chanyeol didn’t even had time to explain or apologize.

To hug or kiss Baekhyun again.

To tell him that he loved him.

Because they never explicitly speak about _love_.

They had a relationship and that was it.

Nor Chanyeol nor Baekhyun had the courage to bring up the discourse and finally speak about feelings and tell what exactly they were.

“Chanyeol, are you still there?” Jondae asked him and Chanyeol only managed to hum in reply.

“I know it’s soon, but the situation is tougher than expected. If Baekhyun’s information are correct we are fucked” Jondae continued but Chanyeol wasn’t putting much attention.

“I see” he commented shortly before adding immediately: “Please, contact me when Baekhyun returns. Even if it’s too late or too early”.

Jondae agreed and after some greetings, he hang up.

Chanyeol lay down once again.

Baekhyun would go away soon.

Sooner than expected.

He had to see Baekhyun at least once more.

At least to set things between them.

He wasn’t just a fling of a night.

The feelings Chanyeol felt for Baekhyun wasn’t fleeting.

He sent a message to Sehun telling him he didn’t feel well and there wasn’t any need for him to come and open the atelier today.

Sehun replied with a brief _okay_ but Chanyeol knew that the younger had a lot of questions.

Chanyeol slept almost all day and part of the evening too.

He was too tired for everything.

He was just waiting for Jondae’s call.

Which arrived at two in the morning.

“Chanyeol?” Jondae’s voice was muffled as he spoke and Chanyeol still felt a bit dizzy for the oversleeping.

“Is Baekhyun back?” he asked simply and the other gave him the details on where they were planning their departure.

Chanyeol put on something and followed the direction without thinking twice.

They were near the forest and Baekhyun was tapping on his wristwatch, nodding to what Minseok was telling him.

Jondae was the first one to see Chanyeol arriving and tapped slightly on Minseok’s shoulder, signing him with the head.

Minseok acknowledged Chanyeol’s presence and went immediately silent, earning himself a perplexed stare from Baekhyun.

Baekhyun followed his stare, meeting Chanyeol’s.

A hundred different feelings went through Baekhyun’s eyes in few seconds.

He bit his lower lip, approaching Chanyeol.

“Hey” he said softly, voice rough and Chanyeol couldn’t help but notice the bags under Baekhyun’s eyes.

“Do you plan on flying like that?” he asked and Baekhyun arched up an eyebrow.

“Did I ever tell you how to do your work?” he asked back, briefly, his tone clearly pissed and Chanyeol sighed.

There was a moment of silence and then Baekhyun spoke again.

“I have few time and a lot of things to do. If you don’t need anything else…” he started but Chanyeol rose his stare to Baekhyun’s, feeling his throat closing.

“I wanted to say goodbye. I knew you wouldn’t tell me when you would be back, so I asked Jondae” he simply said and Baekhyun nodded.

“Sure. Thanks for showing me around while I was here” he commented briefly and Chanyeol shook his head.

There was another silence and before Baekhyun could try and escape again, Chanyeol took Baekhyun’s hands in his.

Baekhyun was surprised but didn’t move.

“I don’t want it to end this way. I’m sorry for the other day. I didn’t want to react like that. I was just… sad? Because you shared important things with Jongin but not with me. It was petty of me” he explained and Baekhyun’s eyes went wider.

“It was because of my… memory loss?” he asked shortly and Chanyeol nodded, softly squeezing Baekhyun’s hands.

Baekhyun sighed.

“You could have just asked? I told Jongin because he could help me remember some things of the past. We haven’t met once before my accident, so there was no point in telling you” he simply explained, shrugging his shoulders and Chanyeol blushed a bit.

“I know, it was stupid of me” he whispered and Baekhyun smiled softly, freeing his hands just to cup Chanyeol’s cheeks.

“And it was stupid of me trying to go away without greeting you. Without telling you about my forced leave…” he started and Chanyeol interrupted immediately: “revoked forced leave”.

Baekhyun smiled softly.

“You should suggest your information pusher to overhear better next time” he said briefly, almost smirking.

Chanyeol looked at him perplexed.

“They are _temporary revoked forced leave_. Give me two or three weeks and I’ll be back here” he added and Chanyeol smiled softly.

Even though it wasn’t the problem solution.

Eventually Baekhyun would have to leave and not come back anymore.

Baekhyun felt Chanyeol’s thoughts and smiled again, squeezing his cheeks and earning a groan.

“I’ll make it work. Do you trust me?” he asked to Chanyeol and when Chanyeol’s eyes met Baekhyun’s, there wasn’t any concern or trouble inside.

And Chanyeol nodded, without even thinking about it.

He didn’t need any other confirmation beside that.

Baekhyun smiled at him like he was the only important thing in the whole universe.

“I’ll be right back” he whispered before kissing him softly on his lips.

Chanyeol savored Baekhyun’s taste until the end.

“So, be a good puppy and wait for me, okay?” he ended up saying, chuckling and Chanyeol smiled too.

“Don’t make me wait too long, _Baek_ ” he whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek.

Baekhyun was blushing when his wristwatch beeped, reclaiming his attention.

“Before I go, this is my contact. Write me sometimes, calls maybe are no good but if I’m not to tied up I’ll call you” he said hastily sending the data file to Chanyeol.

Chanyeol smiled, caressing Baekhyun’s cheek.

“I’ll wait for you” he concluded letting Baekhyun go.

Baekhyun’s departure was followed by weeks of deep sadness to Chanyeol.

Sure, they _chatted_ through holograms sometimes and Baekhyun was always prompt in replying to Chanyeol’s messages.

But the absence was something that Chanyeol didn’t like.

He wanted to have Baekhyun back in his arms.

He missed the shorter man company and even work wasn’t enough to distract him.

Sehun made his best to comfort first, and then proceeded to ignore Chanyeol

At first, he was worried about his _hyung_ but when Chanyeol started whining all day, Sehun came to ignore him.

Jongin instead, made his best to be with Chanyeol almost every day, usually accompanied by Kyungsoo.

“You know, if you miss him so much now, I don’t know what you will do when he will go away permanently” commented one day Kyungsoo.

Chanyeol shook his head, smiling.

“Baekhyun will find a way” he just replied, making both of his friends shaking their heads.

He trusted Baekhyun with all he had.

Because Baekhyun promised he would be back and would fix the things.

Sehun sighed, attracting his attention.

“But three weeks are already gone and he’s not back. How can you still trust him? He’s not making anything special to come back to you” he added shrugging his shoulder and earning himself a scornful stare from Jongin.

“Baek is doing his best out there. I’m sure there is a reason why he didn’t come back yet” he added and Chanyeol nodded shortly.

Even though he started to feel the same way as Sehun.

Every time he asked Baekhyun news about his return, Baekhyun avoided the question in grand style.

Maybe Baekhyun regretted his choices and didn’t want to come back to Earth but didn’t know how to tell it to Chanyeol.

Maybe they were never meant to be and Baekhyun realized it being heavens know where.

It was a quiet late summer evening and Chanyeol was sitting in his rear garden with his friends, making barbeque and drinking beer.

Not that he particularly asked them to organize something, but since his gloominess was expanding, Jongin decided to cheer him up a bit.

Last time he heard of Baekhyun was almost two weeks and half ago and he already came to terms with the fact that the man completely forgot about him and didn’t plan to return to Earth anymore.

The sun was almost completely set and there was a nice breeze caressing their hair and cheeks.

Chanyeol was sitting because neither of them let him do anything.

Sitting with his thoughts that in the recent days, kept him awake and unable to concentrate on anything specifically, mind always wandering to his feelings and the resignation that came with Baekhyun’s silence.

His friends were too preoccupied with the meat on the grill to notice someone coming downhill running funnily.

Chanyeol stood up, curiosity having the best of him.

Before Chanyeol could actually realize what was happening, a short man tackled him, hugging him so tight that he had problem breathing.

“Baekhyun?” he whispered dumbfounded.

The man lifted up his gaze, meeting Chanyeol’s and smiling.

He was Baekhyun but he was different.

Red hair vanished, leaving its place to a deep space black and he was definitely thinner.

“I’m back” he murmured, perplexed at Chanyeol’s figure and the lack of smile on his face.

He detached slowly, looking better at the man.

“Everything is…?” he started, but Chanyeol shook his head, making him shut up immediately.

“What are you doing here?” Chanyeol asked voicing his thoughts before even realizing it and Baekhyun raised up an eyebrow.

“I said I’d be back” he replied shortly trying to interpret Chanyeol’s behavior.

In his eyes there was concern and sadness.

“You stopped replying my texts and didn’t contact me for more than two weeks” Chanyeol supplied but Baekhyun shook his head.

“I was flying here. I can’t do both things and it took me a while to finally realized since I’ve slept less than two hours per night” he commented getting abruptly defensive.

Chanyeol shook his head too.

“You could have written me that you were coming back” he observed and Baekhyun sighed.

“I was so hyped I forgot” he replied, watching his shoes.

Chanyeol didn’t know what to do or to say.

Part of him wanted to forget all the situation of the past months especially the last weeks, hugging Baekhyun and kissing him senseless.

The other, was telling him that Baekhyun didn’t care enough of him and wasn’t worth his time or feelings.

Baekhyun stared at him without saying anything, just trying to read Chanyeol’s feelings through his expression.

And then he had a sudden realization.

“I’m sorry. It seems I mistook everything” he then said, turning on his heels and before Chanyeol could actually call him or stop him, he went away again.

Luckily Sehun was faster than him and started running, chasing the man.

“It was Baekhyun, right?” Jongin asked to Chanyeol who simply nodded, without turning to the other two men.

Why Baekhyun was back?

Wasn’t it easier for both of them if he just disappeared as quickly as he appeared in Chanyeol’s life that Spring?

“Why was he running away?” Jongin asked again and Chanyeol shook his head.

There were so many thoughts.

And feelings.

And Baekhyun’s scent that was exactly the same.

So sweet and domestic.

Still so strong even thought Chanyeol was sure he was used to it.

“Did he say something before running away?” Kyungsoo asked softly patting Chanyeol’s shoulder.

Chanyeol nodded.

“I asked him why he came back” he replied shortly and Kyungsoo stared at him flatly.

“Are you stupid?” he asked immediately, slapping the same shoulder he was patting before.

Chanyeol was perplexed, eyes growing larger in astonishment.

Kyungsoo huffed, shaking his head resigned.

“I don’t know Baekhyun very well and I don’t know exactly in which relationship you guys are, but it’s obvious to me that he came back for you and you only” he explained shortly but Chanyeol shook his head.

“What if he’s here only to tell me that it’s not possible and we can’t be together? That he doesn’t love me?” he asked, voice breaking on the last words.

But Kyungsoo huffed again, repeating the previous question.

“Are you stupid? Who in the galaxy would fly to the other end of the universe just to tell that he’s not interested anymore?” he retorted and Chanyeol sighed.

Baekhyun said that he slept only few hours per night in the last days and that he was too hyped to send a message to Chanyeol.

It meant that Baekhyun took the first vehicle available in the same moment he knew that his _forced leave_ started again.

Kyungsoo was right.

Why someone that want to break up with you should do it?

Chanyeol sighed once again.

He was indeed stupid.

What would he say to Baekhyun if they ever met again, since the latter went out running to elsewhere?

“ _Hyung_!” Sehun’s voice came from behind and when he turned around, there were Sehun and Baekhyun, both covered in dirt and grass.

“What the…?” Jongin asked but Sehun shook his head.

“He’s fast at running and he can quite defend himself” he commented and Baekhyun forced a smile.

“May I remind you that I’m trained for this?” he retorted and Sehun smirked.

“Not so well since I managed to catch you up” he observed and Baekhyun shoot him a cold glance.

“Just because my injury is not fully healed yet. I don’t like to play the hero, but I’m coming home from war” he whispered so softly that the others barely managed to catch his words.

“Injury? Baek, show it to me, we have to treat it” Jongin said, reaching up for the man who step back immediately.

“No need. It’s a long story but it was already treated” he whispered still not letting Jongin touch him.

Jongin was losing his patience and almost ordered Sehun to keep him in place, when Kyungsoo interrupted them.

“Would you please stop fooling around?” he asked, using his usual dictatorial tone.

Jongin and Sehun stopped promptly.

“Baekhyun, I suppose you are here for a reason. If you want to clear it up and then join us, we will be over there recovering what it’s possible to eat of this almost failed barbeque” Kyungsoo added and Baekhyun shortly nodded, finally staring toward Chanyeol.

The three men went near the grill, leaving Baekhyun alone with Chanyeol.

There was a small silence before Baekhyun could sigh again.

“I’m sorry. I should have contacted you before coming here. Just to make sure that we were still on the same page. It would be better for both of us” he said passing his hands behind his neck.

Chanyeol sighed too, trying to understand _things_ around Baekhyun.

“How come your hair color is black now?” he asked out of the blue, starting to sort things out, and Baekhyun’s stare was immediately on his face.

“Of all the questions…” he started, immediately biting his lips, preventing himself to continue speaking.

He deeply sighed again, hurt vivid behind his stare.

“It was black in the first place. I dyed it red for a mission but didn’t had the time to dye it back before coming here” he simply replied, searching Chanyeol’s stare to see any reaction or other feels.

There was another moment of silence.

“It suits you” Chanyeol finally commented and Baekhyun let out a small laugh.

“Thanks, I guess?” he replied shaking his head.

He then deeply inspired, letting out the air slowly.

“Listen, I didn’t have to come back because you don’t like me anymore, I understand it. So, will you at least let me go away? I hate standing here with your friends’ stare on me like I’m a bad person who treated you badly and made you suffer” he asked but he was frowning and teasing his lips with his teeth as he did when he was nervous.

Chanyeol shook his head.

He had it all wrong and in that moment, he was the bad person who treated Baekhyun badly and made him suffer.

Because he didn’t understand anything of the man in front of him that literally left the security and care of his starship to travel alone and injured a trip to the other end of the galaxy just to spend the rest of his one month leave with the person he was in love.

“I’m sorry” Chanyeol managed to mutter, trying to apologize, and Baekhyun showed a beautiful but sad smile.

“Hey, not your fault. I’m an asshole after all” he commented, getting Chanyeol’s apologise wrongly and shrugging his shoulders, trying to clean a bit his clothes.

Chanyeol realized only in that moment that Baekhyun was still wearing his military uniform, the one that he claimed to hate so much.

“How hastily did you leave Cloud9?” Chanyeol asked and Baekhyun rose his stare to Chanyeol’s face, perplexed, but decided to reply nevertheless.

“As soon as Junmyeon, I mean, Commodore Kim told me that I could restart my forced leave” he stated, patting his own trouser and hoping they weren’t irremediably dirtied.

Chanyeol wanted to speak, trying to explain what there was in his head but Baekhyun’s wristwatch beeped.

Baekhyun sighed, replying.

“Dae? Yeah, I’m sorry” he started the call and flinching slightly at the man’s words.

“What? No! And no worries, I’ll be driving back in few hours. Just the time to sleep a bit” he commented but immediately furrowing his eyebrows.

“Dae, I don’t want to explain now but…” he started saying but the other shouted him something and Baekhyun sighed.

His stare went to Chanyeol and forced a smile.

“Dae want to have a word with you. Do you mind?” he asked and Chanyeol shook his head.

Baekhyun took his receiver from behind his ear and gave it to Chanyeol who looked at it without knowing exactly what to do with it.

He hasn’t used that model ever in his life.

Baekhyun sighed and excuse himself before touching slightly Chanyeol’s hair and putting on the receiver.

Chanyeol felt a shiver on his back at the contact with Baekhyun’s hands but did his best to hid it.

“Chanyeol, do you hear me?” Jondae spoke in his ear and Chanyeol replied affirmatively.

“What the hell does it mean that Baekhyun is coming back to Cloud9? Shouldn’t he stay there for another three or four weeks?” he asked immediately and Chanyeol frowned shortly.

“There was a misunderstanding” Chanyeol said briefly, trying his best to ignore Baekhyun’s hurt behind his eyes.

“So, you were fooling around with him? Because if yes, Park, I let you know that I will kick your non-existent ass until the end of the galaxy” he commented and Chanyeol fringed at the comment on his ass and the return to last name basis, focusing on the rest of his words.

“I was not…” he started but Jondae stopped him immediately.

“Don’t give me this shit. Baekhyun did a miracle with his injury and being already on Earth. He left Cloud9 only a bit more than two weeks ago, do you know how long does it usually take to arrive there?” he asked and Chanyeol shook his head.

Jondae didn’t see the gesture but the silence was enough as per answer.

“A whole month! You better be sorry and telling me you’re joking and Baekhyun didn’t waste his time on you” he exclaimed and Chanyeol’s stare was immediately on Baekhyun who stared back, perplexed, unknowing what Jondae was telling Chanyeol.

“What if…?” Chanyeol started again but Jondae huffed.

“Are you kidding me, Park? Because let me tell you one last thing. Baekhyun risked his life with only one thing in that little head of his and it was _you_! He didn’t let go that necklace you gave him neither at battlefront nor during the surgery when the nurse asked him so kindly to remove it! So, if you plan to chicken out of this relationship, do me a favor and never contact him again” he almost screamed in his ear, making Chanyeol flinching again.

There was a long silence, Chanyeol trying to figure out how he could explain everything he was feeling, but then Jondae spoke again, not giving him any time.

“You don’t deserve him, Park. Now pass me Baekhyun, I have to make sure he won’t take his vehicle tonight” he concluded, sighing and Chanyeol took away the receiver from his ear and gave it to Baekhyun.

“He wants to speak with you” he added shortly and Baekhyun nodded, fixing the receiver behind his own ear again.

“Captain Byun here” he said weakly, closing his eyes and waiting for the other’s words.

He waited shortly before shaking his head.

“I won’t leave tonight, Dae, don’t worry. I’m not so…” he started but his comrade cut him off.

“No, now you listen. I’m not going to stay here listening to you any longer. I’m tired and my leg hurts a lot so would you do me a favor and shut up?” he spat out angrily.

There was a silence and then he sighed.

“I won’t leave tonight. And I’ll call you back tomorrow morning for arranging the return. You should be like on Saturn orbit right now” he breathed pulling his fingers through his hair and nodding shortly.

“Tomorrow then. Bye” he concluded hanging up, his eyes landing immediately on Chanyeol’s face.

“I don’t know what Dae told you, but you can forget about it. I’m leaving. Sorry for having ruined your evening” he said softly, waiving shortly and giving his back to Chanyeol, walking toward the exit of the garden.

Chanyeol knew that he needed to do something.

Otherwise, everything would finish in that exact moment.

He loved Baekhyun more than he would admit, still he hurt him, and he was letting him go away thinking that he didn’t want that relation.

That he didn’t want Baekhyun.

And maybe Jondae was right and Chanyeol didn’t deserve Baekhyun at all, but he couldn’t stand the hurt behind Baekhyun’s eyes and the fact that he did all of that to come back to Chanyeol as fast as possible.

And he couldn’t ignore his own feelings anymore.

“Baekhyun, wait” he called him, moving his hand to grab Baekhyun’s.

Baekhyun turned again and smiled sadly.

He was surprised for an instant but then his eyes went larger, in realization.

“Oh, you’re right. You want back the pendant? I’m sorry I forgot about it…” he started, hands reaching around his neck but Chanyeol stopped him.

“No, it’s not this” he said and Baekhyun was perplexed.

He stayed silent waiting for Chanyeol to speak.

It took longer than expected but he waited.

“I don’t want you to go away” he said shortly and Baekhyun raised up an eyebrow.

“I don’t need your pity, Chanyeol. And I won’t do anything stupid like taking my vehicle right now and…” he started saying but Chanyeol pressed their lips together, shocking Baekhyun for an instant.

Chanyeol closed his eyes, pressing firmly to the other’s lips.

It was just a moment before Chanyeol pulled away.

Baekhyun’s eyes were glassy and fixed on Chanyeol’s.

“What does this mean?” he asked, voice slightly unstable and when Chanyeol didn’t reply immediately, he smiled sadly.

“Is it for the sex? Sorry but I’m too tired for it right now” he said pressing his lips together, forming a thin line.

Chanyeol sighed, frustrated.

“You’re really dense, you know?” he asked and Baekhyun shook his head.

“Enlighten me up, then” he whispered, jerking away the hand that Chanyeol was still holding.

He was starting to feel pissed off and Chanyeol could see it in his eyes.

So Chanyeol kept it as short as possible.

“I’m sorry for being a jerk. I love you, Baekhyun” he said slowly and Baekhyun’s eyes grew larger.

“Come again?” Baekhyun immediately retorted and Chanyeol blushed softly.

“I’m in love with you and I’m sorry to have treated you as I did” he repeated bowing his head toward the man standing immobile in front of him.

“Do you really mean it?” he asked, voice shaking and Chanyeol straightened his back, watching him in the eyes and nodding.

Baekhyun inquired him silently, staring in his eyes for Chanyeol didn’t know how long.

“You are an idiot” Baekhyun whispered and Chanyeol hold his breath.

Baekhyun was angry?

They misunderstood something again?

But then Baekhyun opened in a beautiful smile and hugged Chanyeol, snuggling his nose in Chanyeol’s neck making him ticklish.

Chanyeol laughter echoed softly.

He was pleading Baekhyun to stop, when the latter fingers started to tickle also his waist and abdomen.

“This is your punishment. You deserve it” Baekhyun observed and Chanyeol nodded through the laughter.

Eventually it came to an end and Baekhyun stand in front of Chanyeol.

“I love you” he breathed softly, smiling.

“I love you too, even if you will eventually go away again” Chanyeol said sustaining Baekhyun’s stare on his.

Baekhyun smiled widely.

“As I told you, I’m taking care of everything” he replied and Chanyeol arched up an eyebrow.

“You will eventually leave” he stated but Baekhyun laughed.

“I won’t leave you. If you let me fix the last things, I’ll come and live with you” he said briefly and Chanyeol’s couldn’t believe at his ears.

“What do you…?” he started but Baekhyun smiled again.

“You have to trust me” he just concluded before leaning in and pressing his lips on Chanyeol’s.

This time, the kiss didn’t remain uncertain and timid, but it became more passionate, Baekhyun’s hands reaching for Chanyeol’s hair and pulling him down, while Chanyeol’s hands ran to Baekhyun’s neck, caressing it softly.

“Come on, don’t make out outside, there’s still kids around at this hour!” Jongin said and they immediately pulled apart, smiling forming on their lips, cheeks red.

They turned to Jongin who was signing them to come closer, probably because diner was ready.

Chanyeol took Baekhyun’s hand in his, smiling.

“You went through the universe for me” he hummed and Baekhyun blushed profusely.

“You are so sappy. But I don’t have to go anywhere anymore, because I found my universe in you” Baekhyun replied, shifting his gaze to his shoes and squeezing Chanyeol’s hand softly.

Chanyeol’s eyes went wider before he pulled out a smile.

“Who is sappy, now?” he asked kissing his temple and walking toward his friends who were waiting for them.

_Two years later_

“Dae, stop harassing my husband and come help me!” Baekhyun shouted from the small hangar, lifting a box full of mechanical tools.

“Coming!” Jondae’s reply came promptly and both him and Chanyeol showed up.

“When did you become so bossy?” Jondae asked him, helping in lifting the other box.

Baekhyun smirked.

“While I was protecting my husband from your invasive questions?” he wondered in thought, throwing a quick glance and smile to Chanyeol who was smiling at him too.

A lot happened in those years.

Baekhyun told Chanyeol what he went through during his mission on Mercury.

There was a war, nothing unsolvable, but with an elevate degree of loss and injured, including Baekhyun himself.

His leg healed slowly but didn’t have permanent damages.

For his heroic actions on the battlefield, Baekhyun wasn’t anymore Commander but became Captain.

After spending his _forced leave_ on Earth with Chanyeol, he briefly returned to Cloud9 to “fix some things” as he said before leaving.

While he was away, he never failed to contact Chanyeol as much as possible, especially with calls and holograms.

He was back to stay, two months later, Jondae and Minseok with him.

Baekhyun didn’t leave the military forces, but joined the project for the Development of Human Colonies, bringing with him a lot of mechanical things that Chanyeol still had a hard time figure what they were.

He kept contact with his comrade, especially Yixing which was the maximum expert in droids and machine.

They started the project to finally introduce droids in Earth working system and to help people, particularly regarding elderly.

Chanyeol proposed to Baekhyun one year and half later, and Baekhyun hadn’t any hesitance in his reply.

Chanyeol continued his work, always blessed with his friends, including also Jondae and Minseok, and his gorgeous husband.

That morning, looking at Baekhyun quarreling with Jondae before sending him away, just to have a moment with Chanyeol for hugging him softly, Chanyeol thought that after all, he didn’t dislike Earth so much.


End file.
